"I am very excited to be part of this long-term project" - Odisha FC head coach Sergio Lobera after signing new one-year extension
The highly sought-after Sergio Lobera has signed a new one-year deal, extending his stay at Odisha FC until the end of the 2025-26 season. He signed a two-year contract upon his arrival, and given the magnitude of success the club achieved last season, the extension seems fitting.
Lobera, who has won several honors with both FC Goa and Mumbai City FC, led Odisha to a historic fourth-place finish in the Indian Super League (ISL) last season. The Juggernauts also reached the Super Cup final and became the only team from the country to book a place in the knockout stage of an AFC competition, topping their group and advancing to the round of 16 in the AFC Cup.
His record speaks for itself, as he has already racked up 21 wins in the 38 games he has managed for the club. With a sense of familiarity now, the club are expected to compete for top honors alongside Mohun Bagan SG and Mumbai City FC.
Speaking to the Odisha FC media after extending his contract, Lobera expressed confidence in the club’s ability to achieve its long-term goals.
“I am delighted to be at this club. I am very excited to be part of this long-term project. I want to thank the club for their trust in me and I hope we can achieve success together and enjoy the journey," Lobera said.
Odisha FC’s president, Raj Athwal, also expressed his delight in securing Lobera’s signature, believing that under the Spaniard’s leadership, the club will continue to challenge for top honors in the country.
"His leadership and playing style have been transformative. We are confident that under Coach Lobera’s continued guidance, Odisha FC will achieve even greater success in the coming seasons. We look forward to working closely with him to build a strong team that consistently challenges for trophies and continues to make Odisha proud on the national and continental stage again," he said. (via Odisha FC Media)
Odisha FC’s transfer window ahead of the 2024-25 season
Odisha FC arguably have one of the most settled squads in the league, with several players seemingly fitting well into Lobera’s style of play. After a successful season, they have retained four of their foreign players - Ahmed Jahouh, Roy Krishna, Diego Maurício, and Carlos Delgado, all of whom are set to stay at the club for at least another season.
They have also signed Hugo Boumous from Mohun Bagan SG to strengthen the attacking midfield area, a position where they lacked depth last season. Notably, Boumous was a key player at FC Goa and Mumbai City under Lobera and will undoubtedly add a fresh dynamic to Odisha’s attack.
The club have also added Bengaluru FC’s Rohit Kumar to improve their midfield depth and extended the loan deal of Amey Ranawade, who had a stellar season.
In terms of departures, Odisha have released the likes of Sahil Panwar, Michael Soosairaj, Cy Goodard, and Aniket Jadhav, all of whom had limited game time last year. The Juggernauts will now look to add a few more players to increase the quality and depth of the squad to compete with the front-runners.